The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to providing tactile cues to an operator of a vehicle, and in particular to methods and systems for providing multi-axis tactile cues to an operator of a vehicle.
Many vehicles, including helicopters, use fly-by-wire (FBW) systems to control vehicle operation. Emerging FBW helicopters provide high levels of augmentation. These systems greatly reduce pilot workload and enhance safety. Early FBW helicopters utilized “passive” controllers. These passive controllers provide constant force feel to the pilots via simple spring/damper mechanisms. As the FBW technology matures, a preference for electronically variable force-feel has emerged. More recent FBW helicopters utilize “active” controllers, also known as active inceptors. These controllers contain high-bandwidth force motors/control systems that allow adjustment of many aspects of the controller feel. With these systems it is possible for the flight control system to provide a variety of tactile cues (such as power cues, level flight cues, control limit cues, etc.) to the pilot. Improvements in providing tactile cues to the pilot would be well received in the art.